We are fortunate to have a flock of 17 snow geese visiting Goose Pond since October 22nd. On the water the flock (16 snows and 1 blue goose) is easy to pick out within the larger number of waterfowl including 3,000 Canada geese and 2,000 mallards. Snow and blue geese use to be listed as two species, but in 1972, they were combined into one species. The blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with dark color being partially dominant over white.
American Pipit
The American Pipit is a ground-dwelling bird, breeding on the arctic tundra, migrating through the greater part of North America, and wintering along coastal flatlands of the entire southern United States and Mexico. Impressive in its drabness, the bird's thin bill, long legs, and long wagging tail are distinctive.
Peregrine Falcon
Island Girl, a female peregrine falcon and a celebrity in the falcon world, flew over Goose Pond on September 28th, on her migration south from Baffin Island in the high Arctic to her wintering area along the coast of Chile. She began the day near Munising, MI along Lake Superior, and flew 398 miles with northeast winds before ending the day east of Davenport, IA. We wondered if she took a lunch break hunting ducks and coots at Goose Pond.
The American Crow
American Crows, known for their abundance from farm fields to urban areas, might surprise some with their intelligence. In fact, the birds of their genus Corvus are some of the smartest in the animal kingdom. It's easy to anthropomorphize crows and make them more or less align with our values. But crows objectively score close to primates on cognition tests.
Mourning Dove
Mourning doves are one of Wisconsin’s most abundant and widespread bird species, with the continental population estimated to be over 400 million. Goose Pond Sanctuary provides ideal habitat for mourning doves. They are common throughout the year and are one of our most numerous winter bird species. Counts over 100 are not uncommon.
